Good Morning America on Velvet for April 21

GMA SPRING CONCERT SERIES: ASHTON SHEPHERD
Ashton Shepherd was born Aug. 16, 1986, and is a native of Leroy, Ala. Her
father worked in a paper mill, and her mother stayed home with their four
children. She started singing country music in local talent shows as a
child, began writing songs and playing guitar as a teenager and recorded an
independent CD to sell at appearances. She won a contest in her home state
to open for Lorrie Morgan in June 2006. By the end of the summer, after
being heard by a record producer, she came to Nashville in an effort to
make connections within the music industry. An unsolicited phone call to a
lawyer's office connected her to famed producer-guitarist Jerry Kennedy,
who introduced her to his son, Shelby Kennedy. With their help, Shepherd
signed to MCA Nashville. Her first album is due in 2008.